News & Events

Minister Bruton departs on 9-day trade and investment mission to Gulf and India with 63 Irish companies

Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland mission includes a total of 53 meetings and events aimed at supporting jobs in Ireland

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD today (Saturday) departs on a 9-day, 7-city trade and investment mission to the Gulf region and India, aimed at supporting more jobs in Ireland by delivering more exports for Irish companies, as well as extra multinational investment.

This is Minister Bruton’s 26th major trade/investment mission since taking office 4 years ago. As part of its strategy to support increased exports and jobs, this Government more than doubled the number of trade missions since taking office.

The mission, organised by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, involves a total of 63 Irish companies, and comprises 53 meetings and events. 7 cities will be covered – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha, New Delhi and Mumbai. Among the programme is included:

  • 37 meetings and events aimed at supporting increased exports by Irish companies
  • 5 one-on-one meetings with multinational companies considering investments in Ireland
  • 7 one-on-one political meetings, including with Government Ministers in each of the four countries visited
  • 4 engagements with media, aimed at communicating Ireland’s economic story in the countries involved

The mission to the Gulf follows a highly successful trade mission to the region in 2014 led by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Bruton, and aims to develop leads and contacts made on that mission, help Irish companies finalise deals with local partners and ultimately create more jobs in Ireland.

Speaking before departing, Minister Bruton said:

“At the heart of our jobs plan is supporting more exports, from both Irish and multinational companies. We have put in place a range of measures to deliver on this, including doubling the number of trade missions, placing extra staff for Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in overseas markets and tax incentives for firms to place more staff overseas to help win sales. In the past four years these measures have delivered real results, with 40,000 extra people at work in exporting companies over that time.

“A key focus of these measures are high-growth emerging markets like India and the Gulf region which are the target of this mission. I have visited both of these markets on several occasions since taking office, and what is clear is that there are real opportunities here, both for Irish exporting companies to win export sales, and for Ireland to attract multinational companies. What is also clear is that consistent, sustained work is needed in order to take advantage of these opportunities.

“This trade mission is a key part of that plan, and I am confident that it will result in concrete results, in the form of extra sales for Irish companies and new investments in Ireland from multinational companies, over the coming weeks and months”.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Marie McMahon, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innvoation
Ph: 087 1255572

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Schedule: Dubai, UAE, Sunday 19th April 2015

TimeItinerary
8.50Arrive Dubai
9.30Minister attends Contract Signing Mater Private and Dubai Police
10.00Minister joins in progress Software and Services Workshop
10.15Minister joins in progress IT for Life Sciences Workshop.
10.30Minister joins in progress Smart Environment Workshop
11.30Meeting with CEO of company, transport sector
12.15Minister departs for Lunch Meeting with Dubai Irish Business Network
12.45Dubai Irish Business Network Lunch Meeting
14.30Meeting with Undersecretary Abdullah al Mahel, UAE Ministry of the Economy
16.00Meeting with company, transport sector
16.45Minister joins in progress Market Exploration Workshop.
17.00Minister attends Contract Announcement and signing with EI Client Company PEL Manufacturing, local partner Orwell International and Jumeirah Group
17.30Dinner Meeting with EI Client company, business services sector
19.00Depart for Airport
21.00Depart for Jeddah
23.10Arrive Jeddah

Schedule: Jeddah/Riyadh, KSA, Monday 20th April 2015

TimeItinerary
08:00Breakfast meeting with senior Irish business people
09:15Agri Tech Client Company Workshop
10:15 Aviation Client Company and Workshop with company, transport sector Workshop
11:00 Water Technology Client Company Meeting
12:30 Meeting with Chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce followed by business lunch
13:45 Depart Jeddah Chamber of Commerce for Airport
16:00 Depart for Riyadh
17:35 Arrive Riyadh,
19:30 Business Reception
Embassy of Ireland, Riyadh

Schedule: Riyadh, KSA, Tuesday 21st April 2015

TimeItinerary
08:00 Depart hotel
08:45 Meeting with CEO of company, transport sector, along with EI clients
09:30 Minister joins in progress Software and Services Client Company Workshop.
09:45 Minister joins in progress opportunities in Saudi Life sciences workshop
11:00 Meeting with KSA Minister of Commerce, HE Dr Tawfiq al Rabiah. Ministry of Commerce
12:30 Minister joins in progress Ireland Saudi Arabia Business Council meeting followed by Lunch
14:00 Meeting with Ministry of Education
15:30 Meeting with SAMA Deputy Governor
16:30 Minister departs for airport
18:45 Depart for Doha
20:05 Arrive in Doha, Qatar

Schedule: Doha, Qatar, Wednesday 22nd April 2015

TimeItinerary
07:00Irish Qatari Business Council Breakfast
08:45 Minister joins in progress Doing Business in Qatar – Talent Management Workshop
09:15 Minister joins in progress IT for LifeSciences Workshop
10:00 Meeting with Under Secretary Sultan Rashid Al-Khater, Ministry of Economy and Trade
11:30 Meeting with company, telecommunications
12:45 Meeting with EI Client Company technology sector and local partner,
14:30Meeting with Qatar Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
16:00 Meeting with CEO of company, transport sector and Enterprise Ireland Client Company Workshop
17:00 Dinner Meeting with Enterprise Ireland Client companies and Qatar company, transport sector
20:20Depart for Abu Dhabi
22:25Arrive in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE, Thursday 23rd April 2015

TimeItinerary
08:30Minister joins in progress Abu Dhabi Business Environment Workshop
08:45 Minister joins Meeting with EI Client Company
10:00 Minister joins in progress Software and Services Workshop
11:00 Internationalization Workshop with Business and Consumer Services Client Group
12:30 Lunch Meeting hosted by Abu Dhabi Irish Business Council
14:15 Meeting with company, telecom/tech sector
15:00Minister visit to Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Client Company Workshop
16:45Meeting Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, Minister for Culture, Youth and Community Development
18:00 Media interview
18:30 Business Reception hosted by Embassy of Ireland
21:00 Minister Bruton departs for hotel

Friday April 24th, 2015

TimeItinerary
10.05Flight from Dubai
15.00Minister arrives into Delhi
15.30Lunch en route
16.30Meeting with Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Commerce Minister
18.00 Media Interviews: Meeting with target company, technology sector
19.30Media Interviews: Briefing on India market activities
20.30Media Interviews: Business dinner with senior executives from IDA & EI client companies

Saturday 25th April

TimeItinerary
09.15Depart Ambassador’s residence
09.45Speaking slot at the Global Exhibition on Services . Incl media interviews.
12.00Depart
12.30Lunch meeting with client company, technology sector
13.30Media Interviews
19.30Business Event

Sunday 26th April

TimeItinerary
09.30Depart for the Airport
12.40Flight to Mumbai
14.40Minister arrives into Mumbai
19.30Business dinner with senior executives from IDA & EI clients

Monday 27th April

TimeItinerary
09.00Meeting with target company, healthcare sector
10.45Site visit client company, technology sector
Zutec / Samsung/Reliance construction site
Venue: BKC
12.00Lunch
13.00Media Interviews
15.30Depart for meeting
16.30Meeting with client company
19.30Private Dinner
22.30Depart for Airport
01.50Return flight to Dublin